Care Ethics in Nursing Practice: A Case Study

Running head: CARE ETHICS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CARE ETHICS
Introduction:
In general, the ethics are defined as principles, values, and care which enable a person to
live a morally good life. The term care ethics refer to the idea concerning both the nature of
mortality and normative ethical theory (Vryonides et al. 2016). As discussed by Mill et al.
(2016), it is a feminist philosophical perspective that uses a relationship as well as context bound
approach toward morality along with decision making. The care ethics in the nursing practice
is highlighted as one of the crucial parts of the standard practice which share many principles
with the medical ethics such as respect for autonomy and dignity, autonomy, beneficence, non-
maleficence (Peter 2016). The case study represents a terminal stage of metastasis cancer of a
70-year-old single lady, Betty who was admitted to the palliative care unit for elderly care.
However, during the care process, various conflict of interest and an ethical dilemma arises
which affected her treatment process. The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate care ethics and
nursing values with the assistance of a scenario. This paper will discuss the approach to care
ethics in clinical practice, description of scenario, and ethical round of the scenario in the
following paragraphs.
Discussion:
The moral theory is known as care ethics which indicted that care following
professional ethics are fundamental components of a relationship and human life (Peter 2016).
As discuses by Sundean, and Polifroni (2016) care ethics seek to maintain a therapeutic
relationship by promoting the wellbeing of the caregiver and patients in society. It is the most
crucial component of practice since it involves the meeting of the needs of others and ourselves
by incorporating patient in the decision making, respecting the autonomy of the patient (Bliss et

2CARE ETHICS
al. 2017). Considering the clinical practice, there are several ethical issues arises in the clinical
setting which affected the treatment of the patient and wellbeing of the patient. Taking an
insight of the situation, as discussed by Aydin, ehiralti and Akpinar (2017), care ethics is
highlighted as better approach compared to other principles since it is situational based approach
since it is taken into consideration the key factors that lead to the situation and provide care
considering these factors without breaching the ethics for promoting the wellbeing of the patient.
The care ethics influenced patient differently than other approaches because it allows the health
professionals to prioritize the patient by incorporating five component of care such as care,
compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment (Bliss et al. 2017). Besides,
it allows to design best possible care for promoting the wellbeing of the patient since they feel
comfortable, empowered and safe. For this essay virtue ethics is chosen since it allows
individuals to focus on the honest, braveness and moral character by providing justice (Leget,
Nistelrooij and Visse 2019). This principle is better than deontological ethics is which based on
the fact that whether the action is the wrong or right under a serious of rules rather than
considering the consequences of the actions.
Case scenario:
Betty (pseudonym) is a 70-year-old single lady admitted to the palliative care unit on my
placement of elderly care. She is in the terminal stages of metastatic cancer and as a result she
needs assistance with her activities of daily living. Her admission notes ordered she was to be
kept comfortable with medication. A special mattress was ordered to prevent skin breakdown,
but the staff still need to turn her every two hours to prevent bedsores and change bed linens.
Betty cried out from the pain to the extent that staff wondered if their interventions were
working. Finally; The Multidisciplinary team (MDT) including me, met to decide what they